


Fated (or why you shouldn't have one night stands with hopeless romantics)

by jeyhawk



Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-27
Updated: 2010-05-27
Packaged: 2017-10-11 18:03:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/115314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeyhawk/pseuds/jeyhawk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A chance meeting, a one night stand, a cowardly departure, and a romantic gesture.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fated (or why you shouldn't have one night stands with hopeless romantics)

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://daemonicangel.livejournal.com/profile)[**daemonicangel**](http://daemonicangel.livejournal.com/) who asked for _this fic (no lies)_ over at the [](http://community.livejournal.com/ontd_ai/profile)[**ontd_ai**](http://community.livejournal.com/ontd_ai/) charity drive to benefit [The Houston Area Women's Center.](http://www.hawc.org)

  
Kris has had a shitty day to top off a shitty week in what has been a pretty damn shitty year. It's December 1st and he doesn't have a job, he doesn't have a girlfriend, and there's just no way he'll be able to afford going home to see his family over Christmas. He hasn't gotten laid in over six months, his guitar is missing two strings, and if he doesn't make rent money soon he'll be spending Christmas in a cardboard box.

His mood isn't helped any by the fact that the club Tommy said to meet him at is damned near impossible to find. Who hides a club in the backwaters of nowhere anyway? Isn't it kind of defeating the purpose of having a club if people can't actually find it?

Kris really just wants to go home and sleep forever in his lumpy stupid bed, but he can't do that if he doesn't find Tommy first because of course he picked today of all days to forget his keys at home. Maybe Kris should take his parents up on their offer and go back to Arkansas and get a degree in something useful. That way at least he'd get to spend Christmas with his family, even if he would do so as a failure.

He doesn't want to get a degree in something useful and join the ranks of 9 to 5 working normal people. He wants to be a musician, but his sales pitch sucks and no matter how hard he tries he just can't seem to catch a break. His mom would say something about how some things are just not meant to be, but Kris refuses to believe that. If God, or whoever, doesn't want him to be a musician then why did he give Kris the talent and passion for it? That's just cruel and Kris refuses to believe that the universe works like that.

He turns another corner and ends up in a dimly lit dead end. He hears footsteps coming up behind him and tenses; getting mugged would be a perfect way to end this day, really.

"You look lost."

The voice startles Kris and he spins around on his heels so fast he almost slips and fall over.

"Easy there," the guy says, reaching out a hand to steady Kris.

Kris swallows because the guy sounds friendly enough but he looks kind of scary, dressed in black from head to toe with a spiked collar around his neck. He's taller than Kris by far and the nails on the hand resting on Kris's shoulder are painted black.

"You okay?" the guy asks, tilting his head to the side.

"Yeah," Kris says, licking his lips nervously. "I'm fine."

The guy has black hair, spiked over the top of his head, creating some kind of faux Mohawk and his eyes are lined with black and a pale blue that you just don't see that often. He looks like exactly the type of guy your mother warns you about, and Kris is surprised at the sudden spike of want that coils low in his belly. He always considered his bisexuality to be more of an intellectual thing, but maybe not so much right now.

"So what are you doing here anyway?" the guy asks, looking around. "Not the best place to be wandering around at this time of night."

"I'm looking for this club," Kris says with a sigh. "The Basement?"

The guy chuckles, looking Kris up and down. "Honey, if you walk into The Basement looking like that they're gonna eat you alive."

Kris flushes and clutches protectively at his plaid shirt. Everyone's been getting up in his plaid lately, what's the deal with that anyway? The guy hums and shamelessly slips a finger into Kris's collar to look in under his shirt. Kris does not shiver, and if he does it's because it's getting kind of chilly, nothing else.

"That's better," the guy says thoughtfully. "Okay, take your shirt off."

Kris's fingers are on the buttons before he realizes this is starting to look like a bad porno. "What? Why?" he asks, a little belatedly since his shirt is already hanging open.

The guy chuckles. "You'll see."

He hums again and reaches up to remove the collar from around his neck, fastening around Kris's instead. "Wait a minute," Kris says, fingers flying up to touch the edge of the collar. "What the fuck?"

"Trust me honey, I'm doing you a favor. There's no way they'd let your adorable plaid ass in through the door without my help."

Kris blinks. Strange guy thinks he's adorable. _Huh_.

"Okay. Hold still."

Kris barely has time to react before the guy is cupping his chin and tilting his head up. He opens his mouth to protest, but then he sees the eyeliner in the guy's hand and snaps it shut again. He supposes a bit of eyeliner would be okay.

The guy actually laughs, but his hand is gentle and steady when he begins to line Kris's eyes. The edge of the pen rasps against Kris's skin and he bites down on his lower lip to not make a sound. It's been way too long since he got laid if he's getting off on a stranger giving him eyeliner.

"Oh," strange guy says, when he releases Kris's face and studies his handiwork. "That's much better."

Kris blinks a couple of times, his eyelids feel weirdly sensitive and heavy.

"Shirt," the guy says impatiently. "Stuff it in your bag."

Kris does as he's told, slipping out of the shirt and stuffing it in his bag. He's not sure how a white v-neck t-shirt is better than plaid, but the guy nods with obvious approval. Then he removes one of his heavy bracelets and fastens it around Kris's wrist, taking half a step back to study him with narrowed eyes.

"We really need to do something about your hair," he says, sticking his hand into one of the pockets of his double buttoned trench coat and coming up with a tube of what Kris hopes is hair gel.

He squirts some into the palm of his hand and puts the tube back in his pocket. "Come here," he says and Kris is not sure what it says about him when he obediently moves closer tilting his chin down to give the guy access to his hair.

The guy hums under his breath while he works the gel into Kris's scalp, making his hair stand up every which way, he's sure. It feels good though, which is a sad testament to how starved for human contact he is. Maybe he should move back to Arkansas, if this is what living in LA is going to reduce him to.

The guy lets him go and Kris looks up. "That's… good," the guy says, licking his lips. "Really… good."

It's not a surprise when the guy closes the distance between them, capturing Kris's lips in a kiss. The surprising part is the way Kris's arms locks themselves around the stranger's neck and the way he opens up to invite the guy's probing tongue into his mouth. It ends all too quickly, with the guy straightening up and looking Kris over again.

"Now, we're good to go," he says with a smirk, rubbing his thumb over Kris's lower lip.

Kris is uncomfortably hard and completely dazed, and if he wasn't so confused he'd totally kick the guy in the nuts for being a tease. But instead of protesting he lets the guy slip an arm around his shoulders and steer him further into the alley.

"I'm Adam by the way," the guy, well Adam, says as he leads Kris around the corner of a building.

"Huh," Kris says. "I'm Kris."

"Nice to meet you Kris," Adam says with laughter dancing in his voice and Kris thinks he should have kicked him in the nuts while he had a chance.

Suddenly Kris can hear music coming from somewhere and then they turn another corner and the entrance to the club is right there. There are people milling about outside and Kris is starting to understand what Adam was on about. His plaid would not have mixed well with all this leather.

A few shouts go up when people spot Adam and Kris can feel their curious eyes looking him up and down. He's really grateful for the heat of Adam's body along his side and the protective arm around his shoulders, because this crowd kind of freaks him out. Adam exchanges greetings and good natured insults with people, all the while keeping Kris close to his side.

"Now who's this?" A guy in a mesh shirt that does nothing to hide the rings in his nipples says, looking Kris up and down.

"I'm Kris," Kris says, sticking his hand out for the mesh shirt guy to shake. The guy takes his hand and shakes it in obvious bewilderment, exchanging a look with Adam above Kris's head.

"I'm Cornell," he says, pulling his hand back slowly, exchanging another look with Adam.

"Nice to meet you Cornell," Kris says politely and Adam snorts with laughter. Kris looks up at him and glares. Just because this is not his normal crowd it doesn't mean he doesn't remember his manners.

"I like you," Adam says, eyes sparkling, and Kris forgets to be mad at him.

The bouncer just nods and steps aside when Adam approaches, eyes barely touching on Kris, and then they're inside. It takes a Kris's eyes a few moments to adjust to the dim light and when they do he almost wishes they hadn't, because at first glance it's hard to tell if it's a club or an ongoing orgy. Everywhere he looks there are scantily dressed people twined around each other and he blushes down to his chest when he sees a woman with her breasts hanging out of her bodice.

"Cool place, huh?" Adam says, and he sounds like he's laughing at Kris again. "You want a drink?"

"Yeah," Kris says, even though he really can't afford one. He needs a drink if he's going to survive this place long enough to find Tommy.

He darts his eyes around while Adam leads them up to the bar, trying to spot Tommy in the general mayhem. With his skunk hair he shouldn't be all that hard to find, but then it's not like Tommy's sense of style makes him stand out in this crowd where everyone is wearing leather and chains.

There doesn't seem to be a dance floor, even though the volume of the music certainly suggests there should be dancing going on. Kris can feel the bass beat vibrating up his legs and the suggestive synthesizer tones makes his teeth clatter. These people don't seem to need a dance floor though, twining around each other between the tables and in the booths.

Adam seems to know everyone, shaking hands and exchanging greetings left and right. Kris tries to not be jealous when guys and girls alike get up on their toes to kiss Adam, but he's not very successful. He knows he doesn't have any right, but he still curls his fingers around Adam's belt holding on tight. Until he finds Tommy, Adam is the only one he knows here, even if 'knows' is certainly an overstatement.

They make it up to the bar eventually and Kris finds himself standing in front of Adam with Adam's arms on either side of him. Adam leans forward to talk to the bartender and Kris finds himself captured between the bar and Adam's body. He closes his eyes, leaning his head back against Adam's chest and he almost purrs when Adam lets one hand slip from the bar to touch his neck just below the collar.

He feels like doing something stupid and reckless, because even though he's not the kind of guy that normally takes a lot of risks, he is the kind of guy that normally doesn't have a lot of fun. The bartender sets something electric green in a shot glass down before him and he takes it and empties it in one huge gulp. The alcohol burns the roof of his mouth and makes his throat feel raw, but when the glass is filled again he downs it without hesitation.

Adam's hand on his neck slips down to rest over his heart and when Adam starts swaying to the music Kris can feel himself swaying along. Adam's other hand moves along his back and he arches into the touch without meaning to. Then Adam's trench coat is open and Kris's back connects with the hard planes of Adam's chest.

He wonders what was in the drinks he just had, because he can already feel the alcohol getting to his head, loosening his limbs and inhibitions. He tilts his head back against Adam's shoulder to look at him, curling one hand up to grab the back of Adam's neck. Adam bends down and kisses him, licking his way into Kris's open mouth to taste the alcohol still burning on his tongue.

He vaguely hears himself groan, shamelessly arching into Adam's touch when the hand on his chest slips lower to rest over his stomach. Suddenly he finds himself being spun around and lifted up on a bar stool and that's much better. He spreads his thighs wide and hooks one leg around Adam's to bring him closer.

"Fuck," Adam hisses when their erections make contact through their clothes. "Jesus."

Kris pulls him into another kiss, sucking Adam's clever tongue into his mouth. He feels as if he's on fire, every nerve ending inflamed by desire. He can't even blame it on the alcohol burning in his stomach because he's not that much of a light weight. Adam's everything he never knew he wanted and when Adam's hands lock around his waist pulling him even tighter, he's fucking gone. He can feel Adam's erection, hot and hard against his own and he suddenly wants nothing more than to taste it.

"Is there somewhere… can we…" He rubs his hips up against Adam's, hoping he'll understand what he's unable to say.

"Fuck," Adam groans, sucking a kiss against Kris's neck. "Bathroom… Do you…"

"Yeah," Kris moans. "Yeah."

Adam wastes no time in getting him down from the barstool and moving towards the bathrooms. Kris watches people watch them in a kind of daze. It must be obvious to everyone in the entire place what they're about to do yet he can't bring himself to care even a little. Then Adam opens a door and pushes him inside, slamming it shut behind them. The music cuts off abruptly, leaving nothing but the lingering drum of the bass.

Kris supposes this is when he should sober up and realize what he's doing but he just spins around in Adam's arms, pressing him up against the door and capturing his lips in another searing kiss. He fumbles his hands down over Adam's chest to his belt, making impatient sounds against Adam's pliant lips when it just won't come open.

"Easy," Adam murmurs, reaching down to help Kris out. "We have time."

Kris is not so sure about that, attaching his lips to Adam's throat and sucking the skin into his mouth. He doesn't want this daze to ever end, yet he's scared of what he'll see when the fog lifts.

"Shit," Adam curses, letting his head thump back against the door.

Kris pants against Adam's skin, chest heaving with every breath and heart beating too fast. Adam's belt is open now and he wastes no time in popping the button and slipping the zipper down over the curve of Adam's bulge. He pushes the pants down enough to let Adam's cock slip out and it curls up against his stomach, hard and flushed with desire.

Kris licks his lips, curling a hand around the base and looking up at Adam. "I've never…" He cuts himself off and licks his lips again."Can I?"

"Yeah," Adam says, spreading his legs. "Anything."

Adam's too tall for Kris to comfortably get down on his knees, so he bends down instead, licking over the shiny head with avid concentration. It tastes weird, salty and kind of bitter, yet his finds himself unable to move away, darting his tongue out over and over to taste the new drops beading at the slit.

"Jesus," Adam groans, thrusting his hips up. "Fuck."

Kris licks his lips and starts slipping his hand up and down over the steely shaft. The angle is all wrong and his back kind of aches, but he covers his teeth carefully and bends down to slide mouth over the head suckling lightly.

Adam groans loudly, his head thumping hard against the door, so Kris guesses he's doing something right. It's probably the kind of thing you need to practice because he feels all kinds of awkward, but he hopes he makes up for it with enthusiasm. It takes a few tries but he finds some kind of rhythm between the bobbing of his head and the slip and slide of his fingers.

He never figured giving head would be this hot, but his own cock is aching with need leaking enough precome to make his boxers sticky and he's pretty sure that if he could just find away to rub against Adam he would come way before Adam does. Actually that probably means he sucks at giving head and not in the good way, so he doubles his efforts.

It's hard to suck, cover his lips and bob his head at the same time, so he's grateful when one of Adam's hands come up to rest against the back of his neck, guiding him gently. Adam's making noises now, little whimpers and cries that really don't help with Kris's erection. Adam starts bucking his hips so Kris mostly holds still letting Adam fuck his mouth and that was apparently the right thing to do, because Adam starts babbling, telling Kris how good and sweet and perfect and amazing he is.

Adam's fingers tighten on the back of Kris's neck and that's the only warning Kris gets before Adam comes. The sudden burst of fluids is unexpected and Kris chokes and coughs, sputtering around Adam's cock, until he catches on and lets go of Kris's neck. Kris straightens up, swallowing a few times and wiping the back of his hand over his mouth. He could certainly have handled that part more smoothly.

Adam doesn't seem to mind though, pulling Kris into a deep kiss, licking the taste of come out of Kris's mouth, until breathing starts to become an issue. Kris finds himself spun around and pressed up against the door, it's hard to mind though when Adam's thigh slides in between his.

"What do you want?" Adam asks, against his lips. "Anything…" He sucks a kiss against Kris's jaw. "You can have anything."

"I want…" Kris gasps, dragging his cock against Adam's leg. "I want you to fuck me."

He doesn't even know he wants that until it spills out of his mouth and then it's suddenly all he can think about. He wants to be taken, _owned_ , and that probably says a lot more about his state of mind lately than he would want it to.

"Fuck…" Adam groans. "Fuck yeah… But not here."

"Then where?" Kris asks, pressing up against Adam and digging his fingers into his shoulders. As far as he's concerned Adam could to anything to him right now and he wouldn't complain.

"Come home with me," Adam murmurs the words against his ear. "Please."

"Okay," Kris says, letting his head thump back against the door. "Okay."

Adam lifts his head to look at him, mouth twisted into a half smile. "Are you sure about this?"

Kris shakes his head slightly. "Do I have to be?"

Adam's eyes narrow and he reaches up to touch Kris's face. "What's going on in here?" he asks, but Kris just shakes his head again. If he doesn't understand what he's doing, or why he wants this, then how is he supposed to explain it to Adam?

Adam looks at him for a moment longer then he nods, apparently having made up his mind. "Okay," he says.

Kris watches with hooded eyes as Adam tucks himself in and zips up his pants. His lips feel weird, all swollen and tingly and he bets he paints quite a picture. Adam shrugs out of his trench coat and holds it out for Kris.

"Put this on," he says, eyes sliding down Kris's body. "Unless you want everyone to know how hot I get you."

Kris moans, spreading his legs wider, and Adam drops the coat on the floor. Adam's wearing a skin tight black shirt and tight black pants that glitter where they pick up the light from the chandelier on the wall. Kris lets his eyes slide down to Adam's boots that go almost all the way to his knees and then up again to meet Adam's eyes.

"You wear a lot of black," he says, licking his lips slowly.

"It makes it easier to coordinate," Adam replies, stepping over the coat on the floor to crowd into Kris's personal space again. "Just how close are you right now?" he asks, voice dropping to a seductive murmur.

Kris shivers, moving his hips restlessly. "Very."

Adam's eyes seem to grow darker and he dips his head, licking a stripe up Kris's neck. Kris groans, hips shifting against the door. Adam slides his hands down, gripping Kris's hips hard, keeping them pinned.

"I could make you come like this," he says, his breath fanning over Kris's neck. "With hardly a touch."

Kris moans again, thumping his head hard against the door. It should be embarrassing that Adam has him this worked up, but it's really not at all. He's wild, shameless, as if nothing that happens here is real. Maybe it isn't, maybe this is just a dream, but if it is Kris doesn't ever want to wake up.

"Whatever happened to playing it safe?" he asks, tilting his head back to look up at the ceiling. Even the ceiling is black; everything is black in this place.

"You tell me," Adam answers, even though it wasn't really a question.

Kris's hips stutter, pushing against the restraints of Adam's hands. He's caught in a torturous place almost at the brink, he can feel how good it will be, can feel his orgasm coil in his groin, but Adam needs to give him something, anything.

"Please," he gasps. "Adam… please."

"You don't ever have to beg with me," Adam says and then he's right there, sliding a thigh in between Kris's and capturing his mouth in a bruising kiss.

Kris comes so hard and so suddenly, the edges of his vision go black and stars sparkle behind his eyelids. He makes sounds into Adam's mouth. Moans, stutters and hiccups that blend together into something he should probably be embarrassed about, but can't find the energy to be.

Adam chuckles when he releases him, kissing Kris's mouth soft and slow. "You ready to go now?"

"Yeah," Kris says, head still spinning with the momentum of his orgasm. "Yeah."

He lets Adam straighten his clothes and help him into the trench coat. It's way too big on him, reaching well below his knees, but Adam just smiles at the sight, straightening the collar and giving Kris another kiss.

"You ready?" he asks, reaching out for the lock.

Kris nods, even though he doubts he'll ever be ready to come out of a bathroom looking like he just had sex, dressed in what is obviously someone else's coat. He suddenly remembers that Tommy is supposed to be here somewhere and his cheeks start heating up. Adam takes one look at him and laughs, sliding an arm around Kris's shoulders.

"Let's go," he says.

The sound hits Kris like a wall when the door opens, the heavy beat vibrating straight through his bones. He could still hear it through the door, but he'd forgotten just how loud it really was. A guy is leaning against the wall outside the bathroom and he smirks when he sees Adam. Kris doesn't like the look of him. He's pretty, slim and short, all done up in tight leather pants and a shimmering top. He looks like he would be Adam's type if Adam hadn't stumbled across Kris and Kris does not want to be replaced. He works his thumb down the back of Adam's pants and holds on to his belt, leaning his head against Adam's shoulder.

He gives the guy a defiant look even though he didn't think he had it in him to display petty jealousy over someone he barely knows. The guy gives Kris an amused look and laughs, looking up at Adam.

"Cas told me, but I had to see it with my own eyes." The guy shakes his head. "Only you, Adam, only you."

"Fuck off Brad," Adam says, but he sounds cheerful. "You bitches should know better than to get all up in my business."

Brad laughs again and shakes his head. "I'll remind you of that when you're crying into my shoulder over that one." He skates his eyes over Kris and pushes himself away from the wall. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow," he throws over his back as he leaves, and Kris bets that was aimed more at him than Adam.

"Sorry about that," Adam says, steering Kris towards the main room again. "My friends are nosy bastards."

Kris thinks he sees Tommy on his way out, just a quick glimpse of white and black hair. He doesn't tell Adam to stop so he can talk to him.

*

  
Adam lives in WeHo; Kris supposes he shouldn't be surprised. His apartment is really nice too, and in his head Kris adjusts his picture of Adam slightly.

"Nice place," Kris says, looking around the living room.

"Just got it," Adam says, sounding as if he's apologizing. "It's way better than where I used to live. Believe me."

Kris gives him half a smile and wanders further into the room. He can see the kitchen to the right, separated from the living room by a long counter. It looks spacious and state of the art, lots of white and black with steel trimmings. Bookshelves stretch along one of the white walls, full of books and CDs, and a huge flat screen TV is mounted opposite of the couch. Adam's stereo looks like it fell out of a space ship and Kris kind of wants to study it closer, but he supposes there are more interesting things on the menu.

"Do you want something?" Adam asks, gesturing towards the kitchen. "I'm sure there's food somewhere in there."

Kris laughs and shakes his head. "I'm good, thank you."

Adam grins, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "How about a drink then?"

He makes another gesture and Kris spots the bar hidden in another corner. It looks pretty kick ass, but he thinks he's had enough so he just shakes his head. Adam bites down on his lower lip, looking at a loss for what to do and Kris can't help but to laugh again. This is the part he hates about hook ups, the cab ride always makes everything awkward and then you have to find a way to get back to the kissing without seeming too eager.

"Well, this is awkward," he says, still smiling. "Don't you think?"

Adam smiles as well, shaking his head slightly. "I just feel like I should… woo you first, or something. Put on some music, ply you with wine and food, that sorta thing."

"I hate to break it you," Kris says. "But apparently I'm really kind of easy."

Adam's laugh is an amazing thing. It seems to resonate in Kris's chest as if he's a guitar and Adam is his strings.

"Well, then I guess you better just come here you slut," Adam says, opening his arms and Kris finds that diving into them is the easiest thing he's ever done. "You sure you're not hungry?" Adam asks, locking his arms around Kris's waist. "We could order in."

Kris rolls his eyes. "Or we could just have sex." He slips his arms around Adam's neck and winds the fine hair he finds there around his fingers. "You know… before I change my mind."

Adam grins, pressing a slight kiss against Kris's lips. "You think that's gonna happen anytime soon?"

"Not really, no," Kris murmurs before sucking Adam's lower lip in between his teeth. "But would you want to risk it?"

Adam is silent for a moment and then he shakes his head. "Bedroom, now," he orders and Kris is only too happy to follow his lead.

Adam's bedroom is upstairs and his bed is huge. The covers are messy, pushed halfway off the bed but the sheets are a pleasing shade of light shimmering brown and the whole thing looks so inviting Kris wonders how Adam ever gets out of bed.

"Nice," Kris says.

"If I'd remembered I didn't make my bed this morning I would have totally made an excuse to run up here and make it," Adam says, sounding equal parts embarrassed and amused.

Kris turns to look at him with a quirked eyebrow. "Your clothes say nothing about your person, right?"

Adam laughs and shakes his head. "I'm sorry to disappoint but I'm really not into the whole leather and whips thing."

"Yeah? I'm kind of disappointed that there will be no whips for this," Kris says, rolling his eyes.

He's also kind of amazed by how easy it is to talk to Adam. He thought he would have started feeling awkward, or at least doubtful about this by now, but he doesn't. Even without the thrum of the bass beat and the heavy weight of his cock pressing hard and insistent against his pants he still wants this, still wants Adam. There is apparently _nothing_ theoretical about his bisexuality.

"I could always spank you a little if you'd like that," Adam says, coming up behind Kris and winding his arms around Kris's waist from behind. "You know with my cock, or whatever."

Kris snorts, craning his neck to kiss Adam over his shoulder. "Let's save that for the second date, okay? I might need some wooing and lots of alcohol to be okay with that."

Adam laughs again, and making Adam laugh might just have secured a top ten spot on Kris's list of priorities. Actually he's sure that at least the top five is all Adam, with making Adam moan as number one and kissing Adam as close second. He supposes it's kind of ridiculous to be feeling this way about a guy he just met in a dark alley, but he can't help himself.

Adam's hands slide down over his stomach and grab the hem of his shirt. Kris raises his arms to let him pull it off and then turns around to face Adam. Adam's shirt has a million tiny stupid buttons but Kris attacks them with vigor, working them open one after another. If he knew Adam just a little bit better he would just give up and rip it open, but after seeing Adam's place he assumes the shirt costs more than he makes in a month.

He finally gets it open, pulling it out of Adam's pants and pushing it open. Adam has chest hair, somehow he didn't expect that at all, but when he places his hands flat over Adam's pecs, he likes the way it crinkles against his palms. There are freckles splattered all over Adam's skin and Kris runs his fingers over them, playing a game of connect the dots that he's bound to lose unless he plasters himself all over Adam.

Adam pulls him into another kiss, slow and deep. Kris loves the way Adam kisses, thorough and thoughtful, as if this kiss is the most important one he's ever had. Adam's hands slide down his sides to rest against the waistline of his pants and suddenly Kris wants nothing more than to be out of them. He reaches down and undoes his fly, pushing his pants and his disgustingly sticky boxers down over his legs. Adam lets him go for long enough to step out of them before pulling him into another kiss.

It feels odd to be naked while Adam is still half dressed, so he turns his attention to Adam's clothes. The belt buckle still eludes him, but Adam reaches down to help him and soon he's got his fingers on Adam's zipper. He can feel Adam's cock pushing hot and hard against his knuckles and it sends an unexpected shiver up his back.

He manages to peel Adam's pants down over his hips, but it's certainly a struggle. Adam laughs and helps him out in the end, shimmying his hips and pushing his pants down his legs. Naked is a lot better than clothed, it's been too long since Kris had any kind of skin on skin contact. Kris slides his arms around Adam's waist and tucks his face in against the crook of Adam's neck, just hugging him. It's probably not a very sexy thing to do, but he can feel Adam's cock against his hip. Adam wraps his arms around Kris and hugs him tight.

"You okay?" he asks, pressing his lips against Kris's temple.

"Yeah," Kris answers, lifting his head to look up at Adam. "It's just… It's been a while since I was naked with anyone. My sexy is a bit rusty."

"Oh, believe me," Adam murmurs, gently steering Kris towards the bed. "There's _nothing_ wrong with your sexy."

Kris grins at that, stopping his backwards movement when his knees connect with the bed. "Are you saying you think I'm hot?"

Adam snorts. "I'm saying I think you are fucking amazing."

Kris laughs and lets himself fall backwards with his arms spread out wide. He hopes Adam isn't hiding rocks among his sheets, because a concussion would be a bit of an inconvenience right now. His back bounces twice against the mattress, and the springs creak ominously at him, but there's nothing but wonderfully soft satin sheets underneath him.

Adam's looking down on him with a startled smile that gets even wider when Kris scoots up the bed to put his head on the pillows, spreading his arms and legs in invitation. He probably looks like a tool, but Adam's bed is like the best thing ever. He's not sure he even needs Adam's participation to have sex with it.

"I'm in love with your bed," he says. "I might never leave."

Adam rakes his eyes up and down Kris's body and licks his lips. "I'm starting to think I might be okay with that," he murmurs, sounding more serious than the situation calls for.

The tone of his voice sends a thrill up Kris's spine, and he beckons for Adam to join him on the bed. Kris has had all of three one night stands in his life, this one not included, but somehow this one doesn't follow the pattern at all. It's too easy to see himself waking up in this room every morning and kissing Adam over his breakfast cereal, but he doesn't want to get ahead of himself. They'll deal with later when it happens.

Adam finally crawls onto the bed, covering Kris with his body and claiming his lips for a long searing kiss. Naked kissing is so much better than clothed, and Kris pulls his legs up to accommodate for Adam's bulk. The new position makes their cocks rub up against each other and Kris groans into Adam's mouth.

Adam turns them over and Kris finds himself straddling Adam's hips, knees spread out on either side of him. He would feel embarrassed but then Adam slides a hand down his back to cup his ass and he just feels hot all over. He peppers Adam's face and neck with little nips and kisses, slowly rocking his hips against Adam's. Adam shifts his grip on Kris's ass and when the tips of his fingers brush over Kris's opening he stiffens, a red hot blush spreading over his face.

"Is this okay?" Adam asks softly, not removing his fingers.

"Yeah," Kris answers, but he hides his flaming face against Adam's neck. It feels weird to have someone else touching him there, it's almost too much, yet he doesn't want Adam to stop.

"I'll make this good for you," Adam murmurs against his ear. "So good, you'll see."

Adam fumbles around the bed with his free hand and then brings it up behind Kris's back. He hears the snap of a cap being popped open and Adam's fingers disappear for a moment, giving him opportunity to breathe. Then the fingers are back, this time slick with lube, rubbing and touching until he can't even remember his own name. It's too intimate, too embarrassing, yet his cock is still hard against Adam's hip and he can't help the steady rocking of his hips.

Then one of Adam's fingers slides into him and he tenses all over, sucking in a startled breath. "Shh…" Adam murmurs, running his other hand up and down Kris's back. "It's okay."

Kris is not entirely sure about that, he's about to die from embarrassment and he can't stop thinking about things he's very sure he shouldn't be thinking about right now. Adam suddenly slips his finger out and Kris is just about to protest because that's not better at all when Adam flips them over. He opens his eyes to give Adam a look, Adam looks chagrined and smiles slightly.

"I thought you'd feel less exposed like this," he says, ducking his chin and Kris thinks he couldn't have picked a better partner for his first foray into gay sex.

"Thanks," Kris says, pulling his legs up when Adam slides his hand down between his thighs again.

He's prepared for the intrusion this time so when Adam slides a finger into him it doesn't feel quite as weird. It still makes him blush though, so he squeezes his eyes tightly shut. After what feels like forever Adam adds another finger, and that's somehow better and worse at the same time. He doesn't think he's ever felt so vulnerable in his life, yet the slick slide of Adam's fingers feels good, a slow pleasant burn that makes his breath stick in his throat.

Restless, he slides his hand down over his stomach, slipping his hand around his cock. It's sticky to the touch and not fully hard, but it swells to life in his hand and that's better, mmm yeah, much much better. He spreads his legs wider, rocking into Adam's slow sure strokes with an impatient sound.

"Shit," Adam hisses and Kris opens his eyes in panic taking that to be a literal statement, but Adam's looking at him with his bottom lip caught between his teeth, eyes so dark there's barely a sliver of blue left around the edges.

Adam looks up and bursts out laughing, bending down to press his still laughing lips against Kris's. "You're killing me," he says, shifting so that Kris can feel his cock slipping along his hip, rock hard and slick at the tip. "You're so fucking hot and you have no fucking clue."

Kris should probably be offended at that, but he slips his free hand around Adam's neck instead, holding him close for a real kiss. The fact that Adam's all hot and bothered just making him hot and bothered makes him feel even more hot and bothered, so when Adam slides a third finger into him, he just groans in appreciation.

It still feels a good kind of weird, too intimate yet not nearly enough. "I think I'm ready," he pants, opening his eyes to look at Adam.

"Fuck," Adam says, swallowing thickly. "Are you sure?"

Kris nods, because he doesn't think he'll ever get more ready than this. Adam slowly pulls his fingers out, leaving a weird empty feeling behind. Kris shifts restlessly, biting down on his lip and pulling his legs further up. He's no longer embarrassed, just hot all over.

Adam's dick looks almost painfully hard, flushed with heat and already wet with precome. He lets out a deep groan when he slides the condom on, squeezing his eyes shut. Kris's cock twitches when he notices the way Adam's fingers tremble when he slicks himself up. He can't believe that preparing him has Adam so worked up; it makes him feel fantastic.

Adam opens his eyes as he moves into position over Kris. "This will probably hurt, okay? Just tell me if it's too much."

He looks so sincere Kris can't help but to smile. He figured it would hurt; Adam's cock is a lot bigger than his fingers. "Okay," he says, because Adam seems to be waiting for his approval.

Kris moves his hands to clutch at Adam's biceps when the slick head of Adam's cock pushes against his opening, exhaling with a whoosh.

"Relax," Adam murmurs, slowly pushing forward. "Breathe."

Kris sucks in a breath, forcing himself to not tense up. It kind of hurts, but not really, mostly it's just really really intense. He wonders if this is what it feels like for women, if so he should have taken more care, because his mind's completely blown.

"And breathe," Adam whispers close to his ear, making Kris inhale harshly. Adam sounds like he's smiling so Kris turns his face to touch his mouth to Adam's cheek, tasting the edge of his smile.

The stretch seems to go on forever, Adam sliding forward inch by inch until Kris doesn't know if he can take anymore. Kris is panting now, turning his head from side to side with his feet locked behind Adam's back. He wants more and less and more and more and more. He makes an incoherent sound rocking into the slow slide of Adam's hips and that's _good_. He can't even describe the feeling but it pulls a deep groan from his lips.

"Fuck," Adam moans, and Kris can feel his arms trembling under his hands. "I can't…"

"Fuck me," Kris says, opening his eyes. "Just… Yesssss."

Adam's brow is knitted in concentration and he's got his bottom lip stuck between his teeth again, the strain of going slow makes sweat bead on his forehead. The steady roll of Adam's hip just isn't enough so Kris arches into it, pulling Adam to him with his legs. Adam moans again, collapsing down on his elbows and curling his hands around Kris's shoulders.

Kris's erection wilted during the forever long stretch, but it's coming to life again against his stomach, filling out with blood. He didn't even know he could feel like this, overwhelmed and turned on and just amazing at the same time. It feels like he is closer to Adam right now than he's ever been to anyone and he never wants to stop feeling like this. Broken open, vulnerable, split in two, fantastic.

"Fireworks," Adam pants, and it doesn't make any sense until he changes the angle of his thrusts, making Kris actually shout.

Adam brushes against something inside him that makes actual fireworks go off in his head. It's too much, yet Kris wants to feel like that again and again and again.

"More," he begs. "Please, please, please…"

He's completely shameless now, running his hands all over his body, until he curls a hand around his cock, jerking it erratic and too fast.

"Yes," Adam hisses. "Fuck yes."

Kris is slick with sweat, precome and want, twisting one fist into the sheets because he needs to be anchored. He can't believe he's never done this before because this is the most amazing thing ever. When he finally comes all over his hand, stomach and chest it's almost painful in its intensity, making him writhe against the sheets with a litany of jumbled words falling from his lips. Adam keeps fucking him through it, every solid thrust triggering another wave until he feels completely boneless floating on a tidal wave of bliss.

He pries his eyes open in time to see Adam falling apart above him, hips snapping hard against Kris's ass, until he finally collapses squishing the air out of Kris's lungs. Kris coughs and laughs weakly, wrapping his arms around Adam's back to keep him close. He's not quite ready for it to be over yet. Eventually Adam groans and rolls off him though, carefully tying the condom up and tossing it in a wastebasket beside the bed. Kris feels strangely empty and he almost reaches down to touch, but halfway there he interrupts himself blushing down to his knees.

"Are you okay?" Adam asks, propping himself up on an elbow to look at Kris.

Kris nods, still blushing. "I'm good," he mumbles, looking anywhere but Adam.

"Hey." Adam captures his chin and tilts his head to look him in the eye. "You were amazing."

Kris blinks a couple of times, because he's pretty sure no one's ever said that to him _after_ sex before. Then he smiles and lifts his head enough to give Adam a kiss. If Adam can be sappy, he can be cuddly. It makes sense in his mind.

Adam produces a wet nap from somewhere and gives Kris a cursory clean up. There's nothing much to do about the sweat slowly drying on his chest and back, but at least he's no longer covered in come. They share another kiss languid kiss, slow and gentle, before Kris cuddles up again with his head on Adam's chest.

"Thank you," Adam murmurs, when Kris is about to drift off. He's going to ask what Adam means, he really is, but sleep claims him before he gets his mouth open.

*

  
Kris wakes up too early, disoriented and woozy with lack of sleep. Adam's still out beside him, sprawled on his stomach with one arm slung across Kris's waist. He looks younger when he's sleeping, less refined, even with the smudged remains of make up around his eyes. There are pockmarks on his cheeks, more visible now with the light of early morning falling in through the curtains. Somehow the imperfection just makes him more beautiful and Kris has to ball his hands into fists to keep from reaching out.

Looking at Adam he realizes that he doesn't want this to turn awkward. He might not have had that many one-night-stands but each and every one of those awkward shameful morning after conversations has stuck with him and just doesn't want to do that with Adam. He can't imagine Adam opening his eyes, just for Kris to see that sheen of discomfort that says _why aren't you gone yet?_ Last night was special in so many ways and he doesn't want the magic to disappear in a flurry of _I guess I'll see you around_ and awkward looks.

He slips out of bed, gently disentangling himself from Adam's arm. Adam stirs, mumbling something in his sleep, and Kris waits, holding his breath until he settles again, snuggling deeper into the covers. Kris gathers his clothes from the floor and tiptoes into the bathroom. His bladder is uncomfortably full and he didn't do as good a job at cleaning up last night as he should have.

It feels wrong to be moving around Adam's apartment when he's sleeping, but there aren't many other options unless Kris wants to feign sleep forever. Besides, cuddling up next to Adam and going back to sleep would have felt wrong too, as if he were taking something he's not sure he can still have. Maybe Kris really does think too much.

Adam's bathroom is amazing. It has three different light settings from too bright to a pleasing glow and there are tea light holders set up everywhere. It's bigger than Kris's and Tommy's kitchen with both a shower stall and a bathtub. Kris ignores both options though - he doesn't want to wake Adam - so he cleans up as best he can at the sink and dabs himself dry with toilet paper. He's probably being ridiculous, but he's beyond the point of caring.

The flush of the toilet sounds like a roar and he stands eerily still waiting for some sort of sound to come out of the bedroom, but everything's silent. Maybe Adam wants him to sneak out and is feigning sleep. His boxers are way beyond the point of saving so Kris stuffs them in the wastebasket and just pulls on his jeans. They're a bit stiff in the crotch region and there's a hint of a stain below the zipper, but he's pretty sure his shirt will cover that.

Once he's dressed Kris sneaks back into the bedroom on sock-clad feet. Adam's still sleeping with his head buried among the pillows. Kris allows himself a moment just to look, tracing the line of Adam's back with his eyes. Last night already feels like a dream, eerie and distant, but Kris's body remembers what it felt like to have those hands on his skin. He almost changes his mind, but then Adam stirs and his heart starts beating triple time. When Adam settles Kris nods to himself and squares his shoulders, it's probably best if last night remains a dream. Kris gets attached too easily.

The stairs creak under Kris's feet and he keeps expecting Adam to show up asking him what he's doing, but Adam doesn't come and soon he's standing just inside the front door with his shoes on and his bag slung over his back. He reaches for the door handle several times, but stops himself at the last moment. He just wants to explain somehow.

Finally he takes his notebook out from his bag and scribbles down a message, tearing the page out. He debates forever whether or not to add his phone number at the bottom, but in the end he doesn't. The way he's been feeling lately he just doesn't have the energy to wait for Adam to maybe call, because he's pretty sure it would crush him if Adam didn't.

He reads through his note several times before leaving it just inside the door. Hopefully, it gives the _it's not you it's me_ message, without actually saying it in so many words. Adam's probably just going to laugh at it anyway. Kris is well aware that one night stands are not considered that big a deal by most people.

*

  
Kris decides to walk home, he needs to clear his head and though the streets certainly aren't deserted, the crowd is thinner than during the day, making for a pretty smooth walk. A couple of blocks from Adam's place he comes across a corner shop with the peculiar name _Songs, Books and Coffee_ and stops to look at the display that holds a gorgeous blue guitar and at least three books that he's been meaning to read. He's just about to leave when the door opens spilling out a girl with tousled blonde hair and tattoos crawling up her bare arms.

"Fuck you," she spits over her shoulder and takes off down the street.

Kris is still looking after her in bewildered fascination when the door opens again to reveal an older woman with grey hair collected into a messy bun at the back of her head. She looks tired and when she fumbles a cigarette package out of one of the pockets of her voluminous cardigan Kris notices she's got one of her arms in a cast.

"Don't ever have children," she tells Kris, sitting down heavily on the steps leading up to the door. "They'll only bring you heartache."

Her voice is deep and raspy, like she's had one too many of the cigarettes she's just lighting. Kris gives her a nervous smile and stuffs his hands into his pockets, suddenly all too aware of his disheveled look.

"Your daughter?" he guesses, looking down the street where the blonde girl disappeared.

She snorts and shakes her head. "No, just another one of the girls my son fucked around with and then left high and dry. I told him to stay away from the help, but…" She sighs and takes another drag from the cigarette, blowing the smoke out to billow around her head.

"I don't suppose you sing?" she asks, giving Kris a look out of the corner of her eye.

"Uhm…" Kris rubs a hand over his face. "Yeah… I do."

She turns her head to give Kris a more straightforward look, letting her eyes slide from his scuffed sneakers to his face and then back again. He hopes he just imagines her eyes lingering at his crotch, but his cheeks catch fire nonetheless.

"Can you play any instruments?"

"Yeah, guitar, piano and uhm… viola." Kris scuffs his feet because he's not sure where this conversation is going.

Her eyes narrow in speculation. "Do you know how to operate a cash register?"

"Yeah," Kris says, even though honestly, it's been a while.

"You're hired," she says, holding out her hand for him to shake. He just stares at it. "You are looking for a job right? You have that half-starved struggling musician air about you," she continues.

Kris swallows and takes her hand, shaking it firmly. "Yeah," he says with half a smile. "I am."

"I'm Hannah," she says, getting up from her perch and throwing the still glowing cigarette on the sidewalk. "I really only have two rules, do as I say and don't fuck around with my son."

Kris flushes, wondering if his new preferences are written all over his face. "I'm Kris Allen," he says, feeling lame and out of his depth. He's been looking for a job forever and now one just falls on his lap. It sounds too good to be true.

"Kris Allen." She purses her mouth. "I like it. Now you should go home, have a shower and a few hours of sleep. Be back here at four with your guitar and a smile on your face. Sound good?"

"Yeah," Kris nods. "Yeah, it does."

"We'll discuss the details when you get here," she says, obviously dismissing him. "Don't be late."

"I won't," Kris says, but his words hit the door as it closes behind her. He's not sure what just happened, but it seems that maybe he has a job now. He can't wait to tell Tommy.

*

  
It's not until Kris is outside the door to their apartment complex that he remembers he doesn't have any keys and also that he was supposed to meet up with Tommy last night. With a sense of foreboding he fishes his phone out of his bag only to find the battery had died at some point during the night.

"Shit," he curses under his breath, stuffing the phone back into his bag.

The door to the complex opens to reveal sourly Mrs. Biedermann and her four pugs. The pugs yip at him and Mrs. Biedermann gives him the stink eye, but he manages to catch the door before it falls closed behind her. The stairwell smells like sauerkraut, and on the third floor someone put out something that looks like a creepy shrine to Santa Claus on the landing. Kris frowns at it and takes the next set of stairs two at a time.

The door to their apartment is locked but it takes about five seconds for Tommy to open the door.

"Where the fuck have you been?" he asks, eyes narrow and nostrils flared. "I've been worried, you fucker." He looks Kris up and down and does a double take. "Are you wearing eyeliner?"

Kris scrubs a hand over his face flushing. "Uh… yeah."

Tommy blinks and steps aside to let Kris in. He still looks pissed, but it seems curiosity is winning out over anger. "You're going to tell me everything, and then I'll think about forgiving you, okay? If I don't have sleepless nights over hot chicks, I certainly don't want to be having them over you."

Kris feels like shit. He should have thought to call Tommy, or text him, or whatever. They've been living together for months and despite their differences he actually thinks of their friendship as one of the few good things that has happened to him since he came to LA.

Once they're in the living room Tommy flops down on the beat-up couch and folds his arms over his chest. It would probably look intimidating if he wasn't wearing a leopard print shirt and didn't have his stupid bangs hanging over his face. Kris feels intimidated anyway, he doesn't like letting people down.

"Spill," Tommy says, raising his chin expectantly.

Kris does. He stutters and blushes and glosses over the intimate details, but he tells Tommy everything from meeting Adam in the alley to Hannah offering him a job. Tommy keeps watching him throughout, but his chin keeps dropping further and further down.

When Kris finally finishes Tommy just stares at him in slack-jawed surprise. "So let me get this straight," Tommy says, licking his lips. " _You_ had sex with Adam Lambert. You."

Kris doesn't admit he didn't actually know Adam's last name, he just nods.

"With Adam Lambert. _The_ Adam Lambert."

Kris is beginning to feel like he's missing a vital part in the Adam puzzle. "Uh… yeah."

Tommy shakes his head and laughs. "That's just… Wow."

Kris swallows looking down on his feet. "Why?" he asks, voice smaller than it should be. "I mean… why wouldn't he have sex with me?"

Tommy shrugs, looking Kris up and down. "No reason, really. It's just he's been on some celibacy kick lately, says it helps with his focus, or something. Personally I think he just had a bad break up over in Europe and that that's why he came home."

"Europe?" Kris asks, because this is getting extremely strange.

Tommy laughs again. "You really didn't talk a lot, did you? Adam's huge in Europe, they think he's like the second coming or some shit. He's starting to hit it here as well; guess America's finally ready for someone like him."

Kris frowns. "Hit it as what?"

Tommy looks at Kris like he's from another planet. "As a singer," he says, blinking a couple of times. "You mean you spent the entire night together and you didn't once think to ask what he did?"

Kris shakes his head slowly, pretty sure that he never brought it up because he didn't want to answer the inevitable follow up question.

"That must have been some sex," Tommy says, giving Kris a curious look. "So… Are you going to see him again?"

Kris shrugs. "Whatever happens happens," he says vaguely, avoiding Tommy's eyes.

"You snuck out, didn't you?" Tommy actually sounds scandalized and Kris makes himself look up again. He's pretty sure this morning will never go down in the book as one of his proudest hours and the look on Tommy's face is enough to make him cringe.

"It's just…" Kris makes a sweeping hand gesture that encompasses Tommy, the beat-up couch and the faded wall paper. "It would never work anyway."

Tommy looks around as if Kris is trying to point out something specific and shrugs. "So you live in a dump and he doesn't. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Nothing… I don't know, okay? I never meant for last night to happen and now I'm just… Never mind. I'm going to bed."

Tommy doesn't try to stop him when Kris heads towards his room and Kris heaves a sigh of relief when the door closes behind him. His bed doesn't exactly look inviting after a night spent in Adam's, but he face plants onto it, still fully dressed. He just needs to sort everything out in his head and then things'll be alright.

*

  
Kris doesn't exactly forget about Adam in the next two weeks, but he doesn't have time to think about him all that much. His new job at Songs, Books and Coffee keeps him busy. The pay isn't great but it's one step up from minimum wage and he really likes Hannah. Besides, what's not to like about a job where he gets to sing and play his guitar all day and the coffee is on the house?

He also hits it off with Hannah's son Matt, though thankfully not in a remotely sexual way, and Matt actually helps him get a second job at a piano bar where Matt himself plays sometimes. It's boring as fuck, the job doesn't require him to sing, so he just runs his fingers over the keys until his joints ache with it, but the owner's pretty cool and doesn't mind if Kris stays around sometimes after the place has closed to work on some songs. All he has back at the apartment is a beat up travel keyboard and it's not the same as a real piano.

Tommy is out of town for a job and will head directly home afterwards without passing through LA. It's the first time since Kris moved to LA that he's had the apartment to himself for more than a couple of days and it seems surprisingly empty. This is probably the reason he actually thinks more about Adam instead of less, the more time passes.

It doesn't help that Tommy calls him one night after Kris gets home from work at the bar to tell him that Adam's looking for him.

"Looking for me how?" Kris asks, resting his head back against the pillows. He was almost asleep when Tommy called, but he feels wide awake now.

"Monte says Adam's been asking around The Basement for you. Apparently he remembers that you were looking for your roommate in there."

"Oh," Kris says, and it's kind of awkward that he finds himself getting hard.

"Just wanted to give you a heads up in case you really don't want to be found," Tommy says, but Kris is pretty sure he doesn't mean it at all. "Adam's a pretty determined guy."

"Oh," Kris says again, because he doesn't know how to respond to that. He wonders if Tommy already told Adam where Kris can be found. He's the meddling type, Kris can tell. "Did you…"

"No," Tommy says. "I thought about it but, you know, it's Christmas."

He laughs and Kris finds himself smiling at the sound. He really kind of misses Tommy.

"Well, thanks for the heads up," Kris says.

"Just one more thing," Tommy says quickly. "I really think you should consider letting yourself be found. Adam's one of the sweetest guys I know and… he might look the part of the bad boy, but he's really not like that at all."

"I'm not looking for a relationship," Kris says, but the phrase sounds empty. He's repeated it too many times for it to hold any kind of meaning.

"Maybe the relationship is looking for you," Tommy says and it doesn't make sense at all, yet it sounds exactly like the truth.

Kris isn't the type of guy to need a relationship to feel validated, but he does thrive on human contact, and if he's honest with himself he has been feeling better about everything since his tryst with Adam. He says goodbye to Tommy with unruly thoughts buzzing through his head. He can't quite wrap his mind around the fact that Adam's looking for him.

He doesn't consider his night with Adam a mistake. How could it be when they fit together so perfectly? He let Adam see him at his most vulnerable and he knows he'd do it again in a heartbeat. He even told his mom about Adam, in very vague terms, because even if it was just one night it felt important enough that he wanted his mother to know, and doesn't that speak volumes about how he really feels.

Kris is very good at lying to himself, which is ironic because he sucks at lying to everyone else. He does want a relationship, he does want to have someone special in his life, he does want to fall in love, he just doesn't feel worthy of all these things. He has nothing to offer but himself and he has a hard time seeing how that would ever be enough. It takes a long time before he manages to fall asleep, but in the morning he has all but forgotten about his conversation with Tommy.

He's abruptly reminded though when he gets into work and notices a new sign on the message board. The message board is a huge thing, over six feet wide and three feet high, with the frame painted a bright red. It's always full to the brim with notes of various kinds. There are a lot of poems, and strands of song lyrics interspersed with notes from people looking for missing things, or for the title of a half-forgotten book, and it reads a whole lot like an ongoing conversation with many participants.

The new note though, pinned to the center of the board with a green pin shaped like a reindeer, makes Kris's breath get stuck in his throat. It's from Adam and it's about him.

 _Chris_ (of course Adam spelled his name wrong), _I know we never really had time to get to know each other, but I think about you all the time. You were looking for your roommate that night, but you found me instead and I think you took a part of me with you when you left. Please, please, please just give me a chance. /Adam_

There's a tiny picture of Adam next to his name, as if Kris would have forgotten his face, and Kris reaches out to touch it with a trembling fingertip. His heart is beating so hard against his ribcage that he's afraid it might jump right out of his chest. There's no contact info, but of course Kris knows where to find Adam if he wants to.

"Sweet, isn't it?"

Matt nearly startles Kris out of his skin and he jumps around to face him with a flush creeping up his cheeks.

"The guy must have spent a fortune on paper, because I've seen them all over town today."

"Really?" Kris realizes belatedly that he should have shut up because it comes out as a high pitched squeak.

"Yeah, they're everywh… Kris?" Matt's eyes strays to the note and then back to Kris. "Kris?"

Kris licks his lips." Yeah… uhm… yeah." He blushes even brighter admitting it, but there's also a surprising rush of warmth through his chest.

"Oh my God," Matt says and his eyes gets comically wide. "Well, what the fuck are you waiting for? He's that guy you talk about all the time, right?"

"I don't…" Kris does a quick rewind of his previous conversations with Matt and makes a face. "Yeah."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Kris blinks a couple of time, jostling the guitar case in his hand. "I'm working," he says and also he's chicken. He's pretty sure that whatever romantic notions Adam has about him, he can't live up to them.

"I'll cover your shift," Matt says quickly.

"But…"

"No, buts… Come on, the guy's looking all over for you."

"Oh, _you're_ Chris." It's one of the regulars, a pretty girl with long blonde hair that Kris might have thought about hooking up with if his mind hadn't been preoccupied with Adam.

"Uh…" Kris says, realizing they're gathering quite a crowd of gawkers.

"I saw him put the note up," someone in the crowd says. "He's dreamy."

If Kris thought gay sex was embarrassing, it's nothing compared to this. His cheeks are flaming red and he's pretty sure the blush stretches to his thighs. He doesn't mind being the center of attention when he's on stage, but this is something else all together. Matt barks out a laugh and clasps his shoulder.

"Happy coming out," he says.

Kris blushes even more. This is torture. When he finds Adam, he will kill him. Matt reaches out and takes the guitar case from Kris's limp fingers.

"I'll keep it safe for you," he says.

Kris licks his lips and avoids looking at the expectant faces all around him. He knows where Adam lives, but he doubts it's the kind of place you can just walk into and he doesn't even have Adam's phone number. Matt's still staring at him like he expects some kind of answer so finally Kris nods. No matter what may come of it, he kind of owes it to Adam to find him when Adam went to all this trouble.

"Yay," Matt says and their onlookers actually clap their hands, so of course Hannah comes to see what the fuss is about.

"What's going on?" she asks, looking from a miserably blushing Kris, to the beaming Matt and back again. "You're not dating are you?"

Matt barks out a laugh. "I'm straight, mom."

She snorts and looks at Kris. "Well, are you?"

Kris has to smile at that, shaking his head. He makes a vague gesture to the board and the note. "That's what we're talking about," he says.

"Isn't it romantic?" the blonde girl pipes up, and Kris can actually see the hearts in her eyes.

Hannah reads the note and makes a thoughtful face, looking Kris up and down. "Well, you fit his type," she says.

"You _know_ him?" Kris asks, blushing what he's sure is a previously undiscovered shade of crimson.

"Of course I know him," she says dismissively. "He used to sing here before he made it big."

"Oh," Kris says, because that seems to be his standard reply where Adam's concerned.

"So you're Kris." She shakes her head and barks out a laugh. "You sure did a number on that boy."

Kris wants to protest, because sneaking out to avoid the morning after conversation isn't all that unusual. How the fuck was he supposed to know that the morning after probably wouldn't have been horribly awkward?

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she asks, giving Kris a look. "Go and get your happily ever after, but just so you know, if you don't tell us all about it afterwards, you're fired."

Kris laughs, but it's a bit strained because he's pretty sure it's not actually a joke. She keeps staring at him until he realizes she's waiting for him to leave, so he manages a mumbled bye and a wave to the gawkers and heads for the door.

Out on the street he takes two deep breaths before starting his trek up the street towards Adam's house. He doesn't exactly have a plan, or even something that could look like a plan if you squinted. He's just letting his legs eat up the distance between the store and Adam's place, trying really hard not to think at all. If he let himself actually think about this decision he's pretty sure he'd end up turning tail and running back home.

He looks over his shoulder constantly to make sure he's not being followed. Maybe he's paranoid, but he really doesn't want an audience for whatever kind of embarrassment lies ahead. Of course looking over his shoulder means he doesn't see where he's going, so he ends up walking right into something and would have fallen flat on his ass if said something hadn't grabbed his shirt to keep him upright.

"Whoa," a familiar voice says and when Kris looks up, blush already travelling over his cheeks, Adam looks back at him.

"Whoa," Kris echoes, and he's pretty sure he's red down to his knees by now.

Adam just blinks at him, twisting Kris's shirt between his fingers and Kris really wishes he could read Adam's mind. Maybe real Kris is a disappointment compared to the dream Kris Adam thought up. Kris wouldn't like that at all, because real Adam is every bit as amazing as whatever Adam Kris might have dreamed about late at night with his hand down his pants.

"It's you," Adam says, eyes wide with surprise and something Kris can't quite put his finger on. "Chris…"

"I spell it with a K you know," Kris says, because he's stupid and awestruck and not at all prepared for the rush of emotions just from seeing Adam's face.

Adam laughs, mouth open and eyes slitted. He's so beautiful Kris can barely breathe and he doesn't even know what that means.

"I'll make sure to remember that, if I ever have to look for you by way of flyer again," Adam says, laughter still lingering at the corners of his eyes. Then he looks sober all of a sudden and knots his fingers tighter in the front of Kris's shirt. "Please say I don't have to look for you by flyer again… it's not good for the environment to be spreading that much paper around and… I know what I wrote was like… sappy and shit but I really meant it you know and…" Adam sucks in a breath. "I just really really want to take you out on a date."

He looks hopeful and kind of bewildered, staring at Kris as if he's not sure Kris is real. Kris stares back because he finds it kind of baffling that he somehow managed to reduce a guy like Adam to a babbling mess. He never considered himself to be anything special, but Adam's making him feel as if he _is_ special, as if he _is_ the kind of guy you make fucking flyers about because you just can't forget him.

"It's okay if you don't want to," Adam says, letting go of Kris's shirt and trying to smooth out the creases. "I know I can be a bit… intense."

"No," Kris says quickly and it's only when Adam lets his hands drop that he realizes it came out all wrong. "I mean yes. I mean I want to… go on a date… with you."

Adam's smile lights up the whole street and his hands find their way to Kris's shirt again. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

It doesn't make sense but Kris is pretty sure that right here, right now, standing in the middle of a crowded street with a guy he barely knows is the happiest he's ever been. It's the overwhelming kind of happy that fills up his chest and spills out through his smile, giving the entire world a fuzzy edge.

"So… uh…" Adam starts smoothing Kris's shirt out again, pulling it tight over his pecs. "Want to grab a coffee, or something?"

Adam's palms keep rubbing over Kris's nipples and coffee is honestly the last thing on his mind. He's half hard already and if Adam doesn't stop caressing him, he'll embarrass himself quite thoroughly.

"If you want to have coffee you should probably stop initiating foreplay in a public setting," Kris mutters, color rising in his cheeks.

Adam looks down on his hands as if he's only just now realizing he's been spending the last few moments massaging Kris's chest.

"Oh," he says. Then he looks up, hopeful smile stretching his lips. "My place?"

Kris is going to say no. They should talk and not just run off to have sex again, but then Adam's hands slide down to grip his hips and he forgets why he was supposed to protest.

"Yes please," he says instead, curling his fingers around Adam's shoulders and holding on tight.

"Yay," Adam says and he sounds completely serious.

Before Kris has time to comprehend what's going on Adam's arm is around his shoulders and he's being steered towards Adam's apartment. He tucks his thumb into the waistband of Adam's jeans and lets his head bounce against Adam's arm for a moment. He spots people watching them, furtive glances cast in the direction of a sight that's really not unusual in WeHo, but it doesn't make him feel weird. Mostly he just feels like getting up on a roof and shouting _he's mine bitches_ even though he's still hazy on the _he's mine_ details and he doesn't think he's ever called anyone bitch in his life.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Adam asks when they're finally at the door to his apartment building.

Kris wants to say no. He always believed that love at first sight was something dreamt up by hopeless romantics to justify premarital sex when lust seemed too dirty, but he's not so sure anymore. Maybe this stupid happy, fluttery feeling Adam gives him isn't exactly love, maybe it's more the seed that love grows out of, but it's certainly there and it's certainly something - something that can't be explained away as horny, or attracted.

"I don't know," he finally says, as they walk up the stairs. "I guess I believe in… connections? That sometimes when you meet someone you just know that person has the potential of being important to you…" He trails off, unsure of where that theory ends.

"I know what you mean," Adam says and when Kris slants him a look he's grinning. "Say for example you meet someone in a dark alley and you're really just gonna help him find his way but he turns out to be really cute so you take him home instead and you have some really amazing sex but in the wee hours of the morning he sneaks out but leaves behind the most adorable little note that doesn't include any contact information and you just _know_ you have to find him again because…" Adam sucks in a breath and gives Kris a serious look. "You forgot to tell him that you think he's perfect for you."

Kris flushes and scrubs a hand over the back of his neck. Adam has his keys in his hand, but he's not opening the door, he's looking at Kris as if he's waiting for an answer.

"I'm not sure I'm perfect for anyone," Kris finally says, looking down at the floor. "I'm just Kris, you know."

Adam slides the key into the lock and opens the door, but Kris can still feel his eyes on him.

"Hey," Adam says, capturing his chin and making him look up. "Everyone's perfect for someone and luckily for you I claimed that spot." He grins, big and bright with a slight tinge of insanity. "That is, if you'll let me."

Kris gets lost in the deep blue of Adam's eyes. All the reasons this is a bad idea are lining up in his head, but somehow they don't matter. He just knows that he's right where he's supposed to be with the person he's supposed to be with.

"This doesn't make sense," Kris says, reaching out to touch Adam's arm. "I'm not the kind of guy that gets a fairytale ending."

"Bullshit," Adam says. Then he leans forward and gives Kris a slow lingering kiss that he can feel down to his toes. Kris blinks his eyes open when Adam straightens up only to find him smiling triumphantly. "Now tell me you don't believe in happily ever after."

Kris laughs, because really, how could he not? "Whatever, Prince Charming," he says. "Let's just take it one day at a time, yeah?"

"If we absolutely have to… Still gonna carry you over the threshold though."

"What? Adam?" Kris squeaks when he's hoisted up into Adam's arms and carried into the apartment. "We did so not get married."

"You just keep telling yourself that," Adam answers, kicking the door shut behind them.

 **The End**


End file.
